Propecia Side Effects, Proscar

Propecia

Propecia is a drug that has been marketed to the public as a miracle hair loss drug that, after years of searching for an answer to male pattern baldness, has been discovered as a successful way to stimulate hair growth once again. Unfortunately, while this may be the case for some men, a disturbing number of individuals have come forward with drastic side effects. These side effects are primarily sexual, and appear to be permanent. For the 33 million men in America who have experienced male pattern baldness, Propecia may seem like a previously unheard of solution. However, the potential side effects are so severe that many, if not most, men would choose not to take the drug given the appropriate information. Despite this fact, Merck & Co. failed to fully acknowledge the potential side effects or make the proper public warnings about such serious and permanent damages in a timely manner.

Development of Propecia for Hair Loss

Propecia came about accidentally. In the 1970s, scientists discovered a way of blocking the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in men. Blocking the conversion of these hormones was made possible by an antiandrogen, which was used to develop the ingredient known as Finasteride. When it was found that lower levels of DHT lead to smaller prostates in men, the ingredient was used to develop a drug that would help men with enlarged prostates. In 1992, this drug was manufactured by Merck & Co. and sold under the brand name Proscar in 5 mg tablets. An interesting and unintentional side effect of Proscar appeared to be the reversal of hair loss in balding men, and so, in 1997 Merck & Co. received FDA approval to sell finasteride in 1 mg tablets as Propecia and market it to men as a hair growth drug.

For the millions of men who wanted a way to regrow hair, Propecia was very promising. However, as the years went by, more and more men began to come forward because of sexual side effects believed to be linked to their use of the drug. These side effects include:

Erectile Dysfunction
Gynecomastia
Libido loss
Genital Shrinkage
Penile Fibrosis
Disfigurement
Endocrine System Failure

For men who unknowingly took these risks by being prescribed Propecia, these side effects can produce immense emotional pain along with a diminished quality of life.

Propecia Lawsuit

As more and more men are affected by Propecia side effects, many are turning to the law for compensation. Pharmaceutical companies have a responsibility to protect the consumer from potentially devastating side effects resulting from their medications. When a medication begins having severe side effects and the company fails to take the appropriate action by removing the drug from the market or releasing adequate warnings, they are violating their responsibility to the consumer. If you have been affected by the damaging side effects resulting from use of Propecia, consulting a Propecia lawyer about financial compensation may be the best way to begin restoring some of what you have lost.